Do you know any heroes?

Charles Mosley Guest Columnist

Published: Wednesday, March 6, 2013 at 3:42 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, March 6, 2013 at 3:42 p.m.

La. Revised Statute 14:64 — Armed robbery: Whoever commits the crime of armed robbery shall be imprisoned at hard labor for not less than 10 years or for not more than 99 years without the benefit of parole, probation or suspension of sentence.

La. Revised Statute 14:44 — Aggravated kidnapping: Whoever commits the crime of aggravated kidnapping shall be punished by life imprisonment without the benefit of parole, probation or suspension of sentence.

La. Revised Statute 14:42 — Aggravated rape: Whoever commits the crime of aggravated rape shall be punished by life imprisonment at hard labor without the benefit of parole, probation or suspension of sentence.

Do you know a hero?

Have you ever met a hero?

Have you ever talked with someone who is saluted as a hero?

I never have. I have read about and heard many people recount the act or deed that elevated them to hero status. The thread that runs true is the act or deed was spontaneous with no consideration of personal risk, sacrifice or consequences.

When asked if they would do it again, some have been candid enough to say “not sure,” since they have had time to weigh the personal risk and potential consequences.

Reading and hearing about heroic acts and deeds lead me to separate heroism onto three levels: C, B and the highest, A.

C-level heroism applies to spontaneous acts or deeds that carry no risk or adverse consequences to the doer but whose act or deed was a lifesaver to the recipient. For example, this is someone who pulls a blind person from the path of an oncoming vehicle or smashes the window of a car to get a child out who was left in a hot car.

Level B heroes are those who act spontaneously at great personal risk and/or adverse consequences to themselves. These are those who run into a burning building to rescue people (or pets) or jump into freezing water to help victims of an airplane crash.

The highest, level A heroes, don't act spontaneously.

These are people who have time to assess the risks and know that aiding another will bring unavoidable dire consequences to themselves but still act.

The family of Sheldon Jefferson is such a hero.

Fifteen-year-old Sheldon — along with a 16-year-old and an 18-year-old — is charged with kidnapping at gunpoint a 30-year-old New Orleans woman last month in the early evening as she walked to her home from her car.

During the one-hour ordeal, the teens drove around the city beating and raping the victim, eventually forcing her to give them access to her credit card to get money from an ATM. Sheldon's picture was taken by the ATM camera, and the police released it to the media.

Sheldon's family saw the picture and turned Sheldon in to the police the next day.

Sheldon allegedly admitted his involvement to detectives.

You may say Sheldon's family's action was the right thing to do, so there was no heroism. That is easier to say if it is not your 15-year-old child whom you turned in.

I doubt that they realized Sheldon would be tried as an adult and the charges and consequences — which opened this column — of the indictment that followed.

Nothing indicates they consulted an attorney who could have advised them of the potential charges and consequences before they acted.

If they had known, would they have acted the same?

Many of you reading this, as I am, are parents. Could we walk in Sheldon's family's shoes?

Usual stories have families aiding in the family member's avoiding apprehension.

If there were more people like Sheldon's family — heroes or not — to send a message, there might be fewer Sheldons.

Of course, Sheldon's family may not look upon their action as heroic. Depending on Sheldon's past, they might think of what they did as simply house cleaning.

Charles Mosley, a former head of the Lafourche NAACP, lives in Thibodaux. Email him at charlesmosley3@hotmail.com.

<p>La. Revised Statute 14:64 — Armed robbery: Whoever commits the crime of armed robbery shall be imprisoned at hard labor for not less than 10 years or for not more than 99 years without the benefit of parole, probation or suspension of sentence.</p><p>La. Revised Statute 14:44 — Aggravated kidnapping: Whoever commits the crime of aggravated kidnapping shall be punished by life imprisonment without the benefit of parole, probation or suspension of sentence.</p><p>La. Revised Statute 14:42 — Aggravated rape: Whoever commits the crime of aggravated rape shall be punished by life imprisonment at hard labor without the benefit of parole, probation or suspension of sentence.</p><p>Do you know a hero?</p><p>Have you ever met a hero?</p><p>Have you ever talked with someone who is saluted as a hero?</p><p>I never have. I have read about and heard many people recount the act or deed that elevated them to hero status. The thread that runs true is the act or deed was spontaneous with no consideration of personal risk, sacrifice or consequences.</p><p>When asked if they would do it again, some have been candid enough to say “not sure,” since they have had time to weigh the personal risk and potential consequences.</p><p>Reading and hearing about heroic acts and deeds lead me to separate heroism onto three levels: C, B and the highest, A.</p><p>C-level heroism applies to spontaneous acts or deeds that carry no risk or adverse consequences to the doer but whose act or deed was a lifesaver to the recipient. For example, this is someone who pulls a blind person from the path of an oncoming vehicle or smashes the window of a car to get a child out who was left in a hot car.</p><p>Level B heroes are those who act spontaneously at great personal risk and/or adverse consequences to themselves. These are those who run into a burning building to rescue people (or pets) or jump into freezing water to help victims of an airplane crash.</p><p>The highest, level A heroes, don't act spontaneously.</p><p>These are people who have time to assess the risks and know that aiding another will bring unavoidable dire consequences to themselves but still act.</p><p>The family of Sheldon Jefferson is such a hero.</p><p>Fifteen-year-old Sheldon — along with a 16-year-old and an 18-year-old — is charged with kidnapping at gunpoint a 30-year-old New Orleans woman last month in the early evening as she walked to her home from her car.</p><p>During the one-hour ordeal, the teens drove around the city beating and raping the victim, eventually forcing her to give them access to her credit card to get money from an ATM. Sheldon's picture was taken by the ATM camera, and the police released it to the media.</p><p>Sheldon's family saw the picture and turned Sheldon in to the police the next day.</p><p>Sheldon allegedly admitted his involvement to detectives. </p><p>You may say Sheldon's family's action was the right thing to do, so there was no heroism. That is easier to say if it is not your 15-year-old child whom you turned in.</p><p>I doubt that they realized Sheldon would be tried as an adult and the charges and consequences — which opened this column — of the indictment that followed.</p><p>Nothing indicates they consulted an attorney who could have advised them of the potential charges and consequences before they acted.</p><p>If they had known, would they have acted the same?</p><p>Many of you reading this, as I am, are parents. Could we walk in Sheldon's family's shoes?</p><p>Usual stories have families aiding in the family member's avoiding apprehension.</p><p>If there were more people like Sheldon's family — heroes or not — to send a message, there might be fewer Sheldons.</p><p>Of course, Sheldon's family may not look upon their action as heroic. Depending on Sheldon's past, they might think of what they did as simply house cleaning.</p><p>Charles Mosley, a former head of the Lafourche NAACP, lives in Thibodaux. Email him at charlesmosley3@hotmail.com.</p>